Waukee cracking down on cement dumping

The city of Waukee is cracking down on operators of cement trucks and cement-mixing equipment.

A new ordinance, approved in first reading Monday, will allow the city to slap a $250 fine on people who dump excess cement and/or clean out cement equipment on city property or unauthorized private property.

The practice has become a growing issue, particularly in street side storm drains and city right of ways, according to Waukee Director of Public Works John Gibson.

Gibson told City Council Monday that in June he received reports of five trucks dumping cement in a city right of way or storm drain within a one week span.

Gibson said the concrete dumping creates a mess and also violates a current elicit discharge ordinance in the city. The problem, according to Steve Brick, Waukee city attorney, is that the current ordinance is more general and very difficult to prosecute in court.

The new concrete washout ordinance, if approved in second and third reading, could go into effect this month.

Gibson said anyone who witnesses illegal concrete dumping or washout should contact police.